Gloamane 12, 30.

- Quite a week.
On Friday, I worked (writing) and cleaned all day, and that evening Cody and Catherine. They were tired, but we'd already promised Marco and Scott we'd hang out with them and their friend Amanda before she left town. When our guests were settled, the wife and I headed out, visiting and getting home around three o'clock.
Saturday was a gorgeous day, both weather and otherwise. My wife and I woke at around noon, and all four of us took a long time getting going. We finally headed out at about three, but only went up to Fort Greene Park, where we spent the next several hours reading and talking on a blanket at the summit. I'm at the part of Hughs/Honour where they're talking about the high Renaissance, so there was excitement in both the art survey and conversation. As it turns out Michaelangelo was not a party dude. He was cool but rude. Raphael would be more likely to party out at his villa. When it started to get cold and dark, we walked down to the video store and rented The Confederate States of America and The Man Who Knew Too Little, and swung by Little Louis' on our way home. By the time we'd finished our pizza and movies, it was well after midnight.
On Sunday I got up early so that I could attend the early 8 AM Mass. This was because shortly after I got back we left for the Bronx Zoo. We took the train from Nevins and got into the actual zoo at about 1. Our tickets, which included the special exhibits, were $25 a piece (compared to the $10 at Columbus or the requested donations for the AMSI and th Met). I had a great day, but I was a little underwhelmed. The zoo beat Lincoln Park, to be sure, but for $25, I expected a bit more organization, and not quite so much gouging for a bottle of water and a pretzel. The zoo was hard to navigate, and the hours sucked (open for only eight hours on maybe the busiest day of the year). But I'm just bitching so I can get to the good stuff. The Bengali Express (monorail) was the best, and the elephants and rhinoceroses at least seemed to appreciate being able to wander around at will. The Skyfari was both scary and a little disappointing, but it did afford a great arial view of a group (herd?) of baboons skirmishing on a hill. In the Jungle World, an orangutan was posing for us in a tree as if the branches were a runway. So yeah, it was a good time. After a particularly harrowing subway ride and dinner at a diner in the village, we headed home, passing some incredible chalk drawing on the way (University Dr.). After we'd been home for a bit, the others were too tired to make an evening on it, but I went to two more parties. From 10-12, Jena's, in the Fulton Ferry District, which was filled with Chicago alums. From 1-3, Daniel's, in Crown Heights, which was filled with New School kids. I didn't get home until 4 AM, and the crowds over at the Whitman Homes and on Carlton were still dancing and blasting the music. I was so tired, though, that getting asleep was no problem.
Yesterday was much more laid back. Cody and Catherine helped us clean, and I helped them hail a taxi when they left at about two. I took a nap, then the wife and I went to Tillie's for coffee, where we met up with Scott, Marco, and Hannah. We left at eightish, went home. The wife made enchiladas, and we watched Rome. Unfortunately, the Americano I'd had at Tillie's kept me up until almost 4 AM. So I updated my GoodReads account.

- HAPPY BIRTHDAY -
Yesterday, Caryl Churchil. Today, Antonin Artaud. And Thad.

- ALMANAC SAYS -
It is easier to drive nails through wood if they are first pushed through a bar of soap.

- QUOTE OF THE WEEK -
"I was born in anxiety."
- Patient of Emil Kraepelin (with Schizophrenia/Dementia Praecox)

- QUESTION OF THE DAY -
What was your favorite grade of school?